Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., is preparing for the likelihood of securing a roll call vote on the floor for his newly reintroduced Mobile Now spectrum bill (S-19), he told us Wednesday. He anticipates creating a bigger package of telecom measures through the Mobile Now markup process, he said, potentially wrapping in other items that failed to clear the upper chamber last session.
President-elect Donald Trump's intended nominee for U.S. Trade Representative has some experience in lobbying for the media industry. Trump wants Robert Lighthizer, a former trade official in the Reagan administration, for the job, his transition team said Tuesday. Lighthizer also has experience at the firm of Skadden Arps, including several lobbying clients, according to a search of records of the Lobbying Disclosure Act Database. His name shows up in a lobbyist search on 2000’s mid-year reports for NAB and News Corp. There will be close coordination between Wilbur Ross, Trump's pick for Commerce secretary (see 1612200017), and Peter Navarro, head of the new White House National Trade Council, "to develop and implement policies that shrink our trade deficit, expand economic growth, strengthen our manufacturing base and help stop the exodus of jobs from our shores," said a transition team statement. Lighthizer emerged as contender for the USTR job when he was named to Trump's "landing team" for the USTR transition. Initial reactions from congressional Democrats were largely positive. Senate Finance Committee ranking member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said he looks forward to hearing how Lighthizer plans to develop "a trade policy that is as effective for the millworker in Medford, Oregon, as it is for the software developer in Silicon Valley." Wyden also took a shot at Trump's use of Twitter to lay out policy. “It is well past time for the incoming administration to explain its approach toward international trade beyond 140 characters," he said.
President-elect Donald Trump's intended nominee for U.S. Trade Representative has some experience in lobbying for the media industry. Trump wants Robert Lighthizer, a former trade official in the Reagan administration, for the job, his transition team said Tuesday. Lighthizer also has experience at the firm of Skadden Arps, including several lobbying clients, according to a search of records of the Lobbying Disclosure Act Database. His name shows up in a lobbyist search on 2000’s mid-year reports for NAB and News Corp. There will be close coordination between Wilbur Ross, Trump's pick for Commerce secretary (see 1612200017), and Peter Navarro, head of the new White House National Trade Council, "to develop and implement policies that shrink our trade deficit, expand economic growth, strengthen our manufacturing base and help stop the exodus of jobs from our shores," said a transition team statement. Lighthizer emerged as contender for the USTR job when he was named to Trump's "landing team" for the USTR transition. Initial reactions from congressional Democrats were largely positive. Senate Finance Committee ranking member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said he looks forward to hearing how Lighthizer plans to develop "a trade policy that is as effective for the millworker in Medford, Oregon, as it is for the software developer in Silicon Valley." Wyden also took a shot at Trump's use of Twitter to lay out policy. “It is well past time for the incoming administration to explain its approach toward international trade beyond 140 characters," he said.
President-elect Donald Trump's intended nominee for U.S. Trade Representative has some experience in lobbying for the media industry. Trump wants Robert Lighthizer, a former trade official in the Reagan administration, for the job, his transition team said Tuesday. Lighthizer also has experience at the firm of Skadden Arps, including several lobbying clients, according to a search of records of the Lobbying Disclosure Act Database. His name shows up in a lobbyist search on 2000’s mid-year reports for NAB and News Corp. There will be close coordination between Wilbur Ross, Trump's pick for Commerce secretary (see 1612200017), and Peter Navarro, head of the new White House National Trade Council, "to develop and implement policies that shrink our trade deficit, expand economic growth, strengthen our manufacturing base and help stop the exodus of jobs from our shores," said a transition team statement. Lighthizer emerged as contender for the USTR job when he was named to Trump's "landing team" for the USTR transition. Initial reactions from congressional Democrats were largely positive. Senate Finance Committee ranking member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said he looks forward to hearing how Lighthizer plans to develop "a trade policy that is as effective for the millworker in Medford, Oregon, as it is for the software developer in Silicon Valley." Wyden also took a shot at Trump's use of Twitter to lay out policy. “It is well past time for the incoming administration to explain its approach toward international trade beyond 140 characters," he said.
Jessica Rosenworcel's tenure as FCC commissioner ended Tuesday, as expected (see 1612150068), leaving the commission at a 2-2 split for the next two weeks. Republicans will have a 2-1 majority once Chairman Tom Wheeler steps down Jan. 20. A senior Senate Republican questioned any imminent possibilities for returning Rosenworcel to the FCC in 2017, despite calls from senior Democrats including new Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for President Barack Obama to renominate her in Obama’s few remaining days. But he didn't rule out the possibility under the incoming administration of Donald Trump.
Jessica Rosenworcel's tenure as FCC commissioner ended Tuesday, as expected (see 1612150068), leaving the commission at a 2-2 split for the next two weeks. Republicans will have a 2-1 majority once Chairman Tom Wheeler steps down Jan. 20. A senior Senate Republican questioned any imminent possibilities for returning Rosenworcel to the FCC in 2017, despite calls from senior Democrats including new Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for President Barack Obama to renominate her in Obama’s few remaining days. But he didn't rule out the possibility under the incoming administration of Donald Trump.
President-elect Donald Trump plans to nominate Robert Lighthizer, a lawyer with Skadden Arps, as U.S. Trade Representative, Trump's transition team said in a news release (here). Lighthizer, who was a deputy USTR under President Ronald Reagan, "is going to do an outstanding job representing the United States as we fight for good trade deals that put the American worker first,” Trump said. “He has extensive experience striking agreements that protect some of the most important sectors of our economy, and has repeatedly fought in the private sector to prevent bad deals from hurting Americans. He will do an amazing job helping turn around the failed trade policies which have robbed so many Americans of prosperity.”
Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Bill Nelson, D-Fla., is still drafting 911 legislation, which could carry out FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's next-generation 911 legislative goals. Nelson first mentioned he would craft a bill on the topic during a September FCC oversight hearing, promising an introduction “in the near future” but without any movement in the months that followed. Lawmakers adjourned earlier this month, but Nelson didn’t forget his pledge.
Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Bill Nelson, D-Fla., is still drafting 911 legislation, which could carry out FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's next-generation 911 legislative goals. Nelson first mentioned he would craft a bill on the topic during a September FCC oversight hearing, promising an introduction “in the near future” but without any movement in the months that followed. Lawmakers adjourned earlier this month, but Nelson didn’t forget his pledge.
The FCC's 2016 nationwide test of the emergency alert system showed the system to be “significantly improved” from the 2011 nationwide test, said a preliminary report on the test released Wednesday by the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. “The Nationwide EAS Test was successful,” said the bureau. “Initial test data indicates that the vast majority of EAS Participants successfully received and retransmitted the National Periodic Test (NPT) code that was used for the test.”